They aren’t cute like lemurs or majestic like birds of paradise—but some of Madagascar’s lizards are quietly saving its forests, one bite of fruit at a time.
Key Points at a Glance
- Lizards in Madagascar play an underrated but vital role in seed dispersal
- Three species were found to eat fruit from over 20 plant species
- These lizards may help regenerate degraded forests uninhabitable to lemurs
- Researchers from Kyoto University call for more attention to reptilian frugivory
Madagascar has always played by its own evolutionary rules. After drifting away from India 88 million years ago, it became a crucible for life found nowhere else on Earth. Lemurs, baobabs, chameleons—its living tapestry is a wonder of biology. But tucked beneath the bright feathers and iconic primates is a story that’s only now beginning to emerge: that of the lizard, and the surprising role it plays in keeping the island alive.
Scientists from Kyoto University recently turned the spotlight on three lizard species in Madagascar’s tropical dry forests: the Malagasy Giant Chameleon, Cuvier’s Madagascar Swift, and the Western Girdled Lizard. All three are omnivorous, and all three have been observed eating fruit. But what wasn’t known—until now—is just how much those fruits matter to the forest.
The researchers didn’t just watch lizards eat. They followed the journey of seeds, from ingestion to excretion, analyzing feces, testing seed viability, and comparing which plants were favored by these reptiles versus Madagascar’s more famous seed dispersers like lemurs. The results? Lizards were consuming fruit from over 20 species of plants—and those seeds remained viable after passing through the digestive system.
And here’s the twist: the plants eaten by lizards were largely different from those targeted by lemurs. This means the lizards aren’t just duplicating nature’s work—they’re filling in gaps, covering botanical ground left untouched by mammals. “We hypothesized that lizards may play a more important role across a broader range of regions than previously recognized,” said lead researcher Ryobu Fukuyama.
Why does this matter now? Because Madagascar’s forests are under siege. Human activity has degraded vast areas, rendering them inhospitable to large frugivores like lemurs. But the lizards? They’re still there. Hardy, adaptable, and overlooked, these reptiles may be nature’s unexpected solution to forest regeneration.
Still, many questions remain. How far can lizards carry seeds? Do the seedlings they help propagate actually grow into adult trees? The Kyoto team is determined to find out. What’s already clear is this: conservation biology needs to rethink its assumptions. Birds and mammals aren’t the only seed spreaders in town. Sometimes, the future of a forest rests in the belly of a lizard.
Source: Kyoto University
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